Medal Depicting Lorenzeo de' Medici (1463–1503)
Medium
Lead with wax
Dimensions
Diam.: 8.3 cm (3 1/4 in.)
Classification
medal
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
144073
Art Historical Context
This exquisite medal, crafted by Italian engraver Antonio Francesco Selvi 1739, honors Lorenzo de' Medici (3–1503), the influential Florentine statesman and patron of the arts often called "Il Magnifico." Produced over two centuries after Lorenzo's lifetime, it reflects the enduring fascination with Renaissance luminaries during the 18th-century revival of classical and historical portraiture. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Department of Painting and Sculpture of, this small-scale work (8.3 cm in diameter exemplifies the medal's role as an intimate, collectible art form bridging scul...
About the Artist
Antonio Francesco Selvi · 1679–1755
Antonio Francesco Selvi (1679–1753) was a prominent Florentine sculptor and medallist whose exquisite bronze portraits captured the elegance of late Baroque Italy. Little is known of his early life before he arrived in Florence in 1698, but he quickly established himself in the city's vibrant artistic scene by studying under Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi, the renowned bronze-worker, sculptor, medalli...